University of North Florida
26-20, 12-7
Lipscomb
15-31, 6-13
UNF Claims Series with Lipscomb
5/8/2010 9:23:00 PM | Baseball
Boxscore - Game 1
Boxscore - Game 2
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida baseball team won another Atlantic Sun Conference series as the Ospreys split a doubleheader with Lipscomb on Saturday afternoon at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium. After winning Friday night's game, the Ospreys won the first game 13-12 of the twin bill to claim the series, but dropped the final game 18-8.
Offensively, the Ospreys put up big numbers, scoring 13 runs on 15 hits in game one and eight runs on 12 hits in game two.
Justin Preckajlo led UNF on the day, going 6-for-9 with a home run, three runs scored and three RBI. He had a slugging percentage of 1.000 on the day and an on-base percentage of .700.
Andrew Karmeris was close behind, finishing the day 5-for-8 (.625). The sophomore had a pair of doubles and a home run. Karmeris scored five runs, while driving in an additional four runs. He boasted a team-high 1.250 slugging percentage to go along with a .700 on-base percentage.
Four batters had multiple hits in the first game. Karmeris and Preckajlo each had three hits in the first game with Karmeris driving in three runs and scoring a pair, while Preckajlo scored a pair with one RBI. Sam Perry also had three hits, scoring three runs. T.J. Gavlik recorded two hits in the first game, scoring two runs and driving in a pair.
In the first game, senior T.J. Thompson drew a pair of free passes to move to first place in UNF's career walks list. Thompson passed Kenny Layfield (1988-89) who held the record for 22 seasons.
Preckajlo and Andrew Hannon each had three hits apiece game two. Preckajlo belted his team-leading 13th home run of the season in the game. Karmeris finished the second game 2-for-4 with three runs scored and his ninth homer of the year.
On the mound, Clayton Schulz earned the victory in game one. The freshman worked 0.1 innings of relief but was the pitcher of record as the scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the ninth.
Michael Kelly got the start in the first game. The senior scattered 11 hits, surrendering seven runs (six earned runs). He walked two, while striking out six.
Kris Linster and Casey Medlen worked a combined 1.2 innings of relief. The duo combined for three strikeouts, two walks and five runs.
In game two, starter John Atteo took the loss. The senior scattered nine hits over 6.0 innings. He was charged with six runs on the day. The Ospreys used four relief pitchers in game two. The bullpen surrendered 12 runs on 10 runs.
The UNF pitching staff surrendered six home runs on the day, including four in game two. The Bison used a grand slam in a 9-run seventh inning to break game two wide open.
Game 1 Recap
Lipscomb was the first team to score, plating a run in the top of the first inning. The leadoff batter singled through the left side of the infield. The Ospreys, who had been playing solid defense of late, booted a ground ball that potentially could have been a double play ball. Instead of two outs, the error left the Bison with two runners on and no outs. Lipscomb attempted a double steal and the throw to second was on the money, but a dropped relay gave the Bison a pair of runners in scoring position. A line out to second base recorded the first out of the inning, and Lipscomb plated a runner on an RBI ground out. A strikeout ended the inning and saw the Ospreys trailing 1-0.
North Florida responded with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Preckajlo walked to start things off. Preston Hale reached on a fielding error, giving UNF a pair of base runners. Karmeris doubled to score Preckajlo from second base and knot the score at 1-1. David Eldredge walked to load the bases. Thompson drew an RBI walk to give North Florida its first lead of the year. With the bases loaded, Hannon hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Karmeris and give UNF the lead 3-1.
The Ospreys added a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning. Perry led off the inning with a double to left field. With two outs, Hale doubled to center field to score Perry from second base. Karmeris followed with an RBI single through the left side to increase the UNF advantage to 5-1.
The Bison cut the deficit to 5-3 with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning. With one out, a single started things out for Lipscomb. A wild pitch advanced the runner to second base. A ground out advanced the runner to third and with two outs, the Bison used a two-run home run to cut the Ospreys' lead to two runs.
Lipscomb scored a run to pull to within one run. A solo home run to left center field put the Bison behind by one, 5-4.
North Florida extended its lead to six runs with five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Kyle Dahl started off the inning with a single up the middle. Back-to-back singles by Perry and Gavlik scored the first run of the inning. Preckajlo followed with a single and Hale recorded the first of three sacrifice flies on the day. Karmeris doubled to right field, scoring Preckajlo. Karmeris came around to score on an Eldredge single to left center field for the final run of the inning.
UNF scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to extend its lead to 12-4. Dahl walked to lead off the inning. An RBI double to right center field by Gavlik plated Dahl. Preckajlo moved Gavlik to third with a single to left field. Hale scored Gavlike from third with his second sacrifice fly of the game.
Lipscomb scored five runs on four hits to close the gap to 12-9. The inning saw two doubles, a pair of singles, two hit by pitches, a balk and an RBI ground out to score five runs.
The Bison tied the score at 12-12 with three runs in the top of the ninth inning. With one out, Lipscomb used a hit by pitch, a single and a walk to load the bases. The Ospreys recorded the second out of the inning with a strikeout, but walked in the first run of the inning. A two RBI double to right field tied the ball game and a ground out ended the inning and the threat.
In the ninth inning, the Ospreys used some help from Lipscomb to score the winning run. Perry reached base on a throwing error by the Bison's shortstop. Gavlik tried to lay down a sacrifice bunt, but Lipscomb tried to eliminate Perry at second. A second error by the shortstop allowed both runners to reach safely. A single by Preckajlo loaded the bases with no outs. Hale's third sacrifice fly of the game scored Perry from third and gave the Ospreys the 13-12 victory.
Game 2 Recap
Lipscomb jumped out to an early lead in game two. The Bison scored a run in the first inning and two in fourth to go ahead 3-0. A run in the fifth inning put the visitors in front 4-0.
North Florida chipped away at the Bison's lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. With two outs, Perry walked and came around to score on a Gavlik double to right center field. Preckajlo's RBI single through the left side of the infield scored Gavlik and cut the deficit to 4-2 after five innings.
The Ospreys tied the score in the bottom of the sixth inning. Karmeris led off the inning and moved to third on a one-out double by Thompson. A fielding error by the Bison's right fielder allowed Karmeris on the play. With two outs, Hannon singled up the middle and a second error of the inning allowed Thompson to come around to score, tying the game at 4-4.
The Bison took the lead for good with a nine-run seventh inning. Lipscomb scored nine runs on seven hits, including a grand slam and a two-run home run.
North Florida used home runs by Preckajlo and Karmeris to score two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, but could not close the gap any further and trailed 13-6.
Lipscomb increased its lead with four runs in the top of the eighth and a single run in the top of the ninth. A three-run home run punctuated the inning for the Bison, giving them a 17-6 advantage. The Bison used an RBI double in the ninth to extend their lead to 18-6.
UNF's rally in the ninth inning fell short. Steve Hillan walked to start off the inning and advanced to second on a one-out single by Karmeris. A ground out moved the runners into scoring position. Thompson walked to load the bases and Dahl delivered a two-out double to right field to score a pair of runs. The Ospreys could get no closer, falling 18-8.
North Florida steps out of conference for a single game against in-state rival USF on Wednesday, May 12. The game is slated for 7 p.m. at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Schulz, Clayton (1-0)
L: FROMM, Chad (1-6)
Batting:
2B: WILSON, Tyler 1 ; MESSER, Zach 1 ; NICKERSON, Andrew 1
3B: BREWER, Matt 1
HR: WILLIAMS, M.L. 1 ; MESSER, Zach 1
RBI: WILSON, Tyler 2 ; WILLIAMS, M.L. 3 ; MESSER, Zach 3 ; NICKERSON, Andrew 1 ; MEHRING, Shawn 1 ; HENRY, Kyle 2
Base Running:
RUNS: WILSON, Tyler 2 ; WILLIAMS, M.L. 2 ; MESSER, Zach 2 ; WILKINS, Ryan 2 ; NICKERSON, Andrew 1 ; COLEMAN, Ricky 1 ; MEHRING, Shawn 1 ; HENRY, Kyle 1
SB: WILSON, Tyler 1
HBP: WILSON, Tyler 1 ; WILKINS, Ryan 2
PO: MESSER, Zach 1 ; NICKERSON, Andrew 1 ; MEHRING, Shawn 1
Batting:
2B: Gavlik, T.J. 1 ; Hale, Preston 1 ; Karmeris, Andrew 2 ; Perry, Sam 2
RBI: Gavlik, T.J. 2 ; Preckajlo, Justin 1 ; Hale, Preston 4 ; Karmeris, Andrew 3 ; Eldredge, David 1 ; Thompson, TJ 1 ; Hannon, Andrew 1
SF: Hale, Preston 3 ; Hannon, Andrew 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gavlik, T.J. 2 ; Preckajlo, Justin 2 ; Hale, Preston 2 ; Karmeris, Andrew 2 ; Dahl, Kyle 2 ; Perry, Sam 3
CS: Hannon, Andrew 1
